It is with fully automated processing of single or connected sausage portions, for example, when being supplied to packaging devices, often necessary to divide the product flow or to transfer it to another transport unit, e.g. to another conveyor belt. Further transportation of the products after being transferred can there occur parallel to the supply belt (0°) but also at an angle to the supply belt. It is for instance known from EP 1712135 to transfer sausage portions from a conveyor belt to a drum, in this case at an angle of 90°.
It has in prior art previously not been possible to transfer the individual sausage portions from one transport device, such as a conveyor belt, onto another while maintaining correct alignment of the sausages. For this reason, the individual sausage portions, as previously explained, had to be ejected in trays with respective receptacles aligning the sausage portions. This becomes particularly clear when considering the high processing speeds of 600 single sausage portions per minute.
Starting out from there, the present invention is based on providing a device and a method for transferring sausage portions that enables the sausage portions to remain correctly aligned when a sausage portion is transferred from a supply transport device to a removal transport device.
According to the present invention, a device is disclosed for transferring sausage portions with a supply transport device, at least one removal transport device, and at least one ejector for ejecting the at least one sausage portion device from the supply transport device onto the removal transport device. The removal transport device comprises a lower transport device and a holding device disposed thereabove, between which the at least one sausage portion is transported.
When at least one sausage portion is ejected from the supply transport device, the at least one sausage portion can therefore be securely received and held when transferred between the transport device and the holding device disposed thereabove. The sausage can maintain its correct alignment. Reliable transfer of the at least one sausage portion from the supply transport device onto the removal transport device is thereby possible.
The respective sausage portion that is moved on the supply transport device in a first direction of transport T1 at a first conveying speed and also during the transfer still has a component of motion or momentum in the direction of transport T1, is effectively decelerated and can be precisely placed by the holding device.
The term “sausage portion” is to be understood as a single sausage, where also several sausage portions, i.e. individual sausages being supplied in succession in the direction of transport on the supply transport device can be ejected simultaneously by an ejector onto the removal transport device. The individual portions, i.e. the individual sausages, can there be present separated from each other or as a string of sausages. A conveyor belt, a roller carpet etc. can by way of example be used as a supply transport device. Only one transport device can be provided, but according to a particular embodiment, several transport devices with respective ejectors can be provided in succession.
In the present invention, it is not necessary that the holding device extend over the entire length of the transport device. It is essential only that the holding device be located above a starting region of the transport device. The starting region is preferably understood to mean at least the first 5 cm—when viewed from the front end (the end facing the supply transport device)—this means that the holding device can in this region grip or hold the sausage portion.
The holding device is preferably also formed as a circulating transport device, in particular a conveyor belt, a roller, or a roller carpet. For example, the lower transport device can then advantageously be formed as a circulating conveyor belt and the holding device as a circulating conveyor belt disposed thereabove extending at least over part of the length of the lower conveyor belt. However, it is also possible to provide a roller in the starting region of the transport device which is either driven and, like the circulating transport device described above, can be driven at the same speed as the transport device, or which is mounted freely rotatable. It is also possible to configure the holding device as a sliding plate which is provided at least in the starting region of the transport device and on which the sausage portions transported in the second direction of transport T2 slide along. If the sliding plate is resiliently mounted, it can adequately hold the sausage portions and perform compensating motions in an upwardly direction if required.
The distance between the holding device and the lower transport device can advantageously be adjusted via an adjustment mechanism. The distance can thereby be adjusted to different sausage calibers, i.e. sausage diameters. The distance between the holding device and the transport device is there approximately in a range of 70% to 100% of the sausage caliber.
The supply transport device as well can at least in the transfer region comprise a holding device and a transport device disposed therebeneath between which the individual sausage portions are transported. The ejector then for ejecting moves between the holding device and the transport device and ejects the sausage portion onto the removal transport device. The sausage portion is therefore held reliably and remains correctly aligned during the entire transfer process.
According to a preferred embodiment, the device comprises a controller 90 that controls a drive of the removal transport device such that it transports the sausage portions at a speed to set a predetermined distance between the sausage portions relative to each other, where the speed preferably depends on at least one of the following parameters:
the transport speed of the supply transport device, clock frequency of the ejector, the set nominal distance of the sausage portions in the direction of transport T2 of the removal transport device, the sausage caliber, the number of ejected portions.
The distance between sausage portions on the removal transport device can according to the present invention thereby be set accurately and also various grouping assignments in which sausage groups can be obtained in which individual sausage portions have a certain distance to each other, where the individual sausage groups in turn have a predetermined distance to each other. The speed of the transport device can also be variable, for example, for creating different group gaps, or where individual sausage portions are in clocking operation to be positioned directly in succession in the removal transport device.
The device can also have several—when viewed in the direction of transport T1—successively disposed ejectors. The sausage portions can therewith be transferred respectively to a plurality of removal transport devices. The sausages can there be pushed off to the same side or be ejected on opposite sides, this means the removal transport devices are then located on both sides of the supply transport device.
The at least one removal transport device extends in a second direction of transport extending at an angle of 0° to 100°, preferably 0° to 90°, relative to the direction of transport T1 of the supply transport device. If the angle is 0°, then the removal transport device extends parallel to the supply transport device. At an angle of 90°, the removal transport device is disposed perpendicular to the supply transport device. In a range between 0° to 90°, the second direction of transport T2 has a directional component in the direction of transport T1, whereas at an angle greater than 100° the removal transport device again extends diagonally backwards, i.e. has a directional component which is opposite to the first direction of transport T1. The removal transport device or its lower transport device, respectively, can be configured as a circulating conveyor belt, but can also comprise several mutually parallel conveyor belts or straps. The configuration of several belts allows for an arrangement of the removal conveyor belt relative to the supply conveyor belt at an angle that does not correspond to 0° and not to 90°, i.e. in an angular range between 0° and 90° and greater than 90° to 100°. By using several individual belts, the removal transport device can be disposed very close to the supply transport device because the distance to the supply transport device can for each belt can be minimized, whereas a gap between the supply transport device and the removal transport device would arise in these angular ranges when using a broad belt which enables no reliable transfer. The lower transport device there comprises the several adjacently disposed conveyor belts. It is also possible that the holding device comprises several adjacently disposed circulating conveyor belts.
The ejector is preferably configured and arranged such that it is movable in a direction perpendicular to the direction of transport T1 of the supply transport device. The ejection area of the removal transport device is there advantageously disposed parallel to the direction of transport T1, so that the ejection area can act at the long side of the sausage portion.
It is also possible that the ejector is moved in a direction having a component of motion perpendicular to the direction of transport T1 of the supply transport device as well as a component of motion opposite to the direction of transport T1 of the supply transport device. In particular a pivot mechanism can there be provided. The sausage portion being moved on the supply transport device at a first speed can, due to the backward motion, be decelerated during the transfer process so that a more secure transfer process is possible. If the ejector is pivoted in, it is advantageously moved back in the same way from the area of the supply transport device after transferring the sausage portion so as not to obstruct the trailing sausage.
The ejection area of the ejector can be oriented at an angle or parallel to the direction of transport T1 of the supply transport device and is in particular movable linearly at an angle inclined relative to the transport device. This means that the ejector does not move perpendicular to the direction of transport T1, but inclined thereto. This can be advantageous, for example, when the removal transport device is disposed at a certain angle relative to the supply transport device. The ejector can there be moved linearly at this angle and the ejection area can be aligned perpendicular to this direction.
The device advantageously comprises a stop which is arranged at least in the starting region of the removal transport device and is positioned transverse to the direction of transport T1 of the supply transport device in order to decelerate the sausage portions in the direction of transport T1 of the supply transport device. A respective stop again allows precise alignment of the sausage on the removal transport device. The stop can also be designed as a vertically arranged co-traveling conveyor belt, e.g. at the same speed as the removal transport device.
It is particularly advantageous if the sausage portions are ejected laterally at several locations from the supply transport device. Where n1 sausage portion(s) are successively ejected at a first location S1 onto the removal transport belt in that the ejector is actuated successively n2 times (n1, n2, n3, etc.). If only one respective sausage portion is ejected at a certain point in time by the ejector, then this results in n1=n2.
A certain number n3 of sausage portion(s) is then not ejected at the first location S1 by the ejector but passes this location S1. The passing sausage portions are then ejected at at least one further location S2, S3 by a respective ejector.
When the first removal transport device, for example, runs at a constant speed, an area not occupied by sausage portions arises on the first removal transport device, i.e. a distance between two sausage groups each having n1 sausage portions can be created. If sausage portions are at the first location S1 ejected by the ejector, then no sausage portions continue to the further locations S2 or S3, so that unoccupied areas on the respective removal transport devices then arise so that a distance between individual sausages groups each having a certain number of sausage portions can then be created. By adjusting the speed of the removal transport device, these gaps can be further increased or decreased.
After a certain number n3 has passed the first location S1 and a sufficient distance is created between the sausage groups, the first step again follows, namely that n1 sausage portion(s) are ejected successively onto the removal transport device at location S1. It is possible, however, that n1=n3, n1 and n3 can also differ so that different groupings or grouping patterns can be created on different removal transport devices.
It is possible that faulty products, such as ruptured sausages or those that deviate from the desired length or from a desired shape or a desired curvature, respectively, are discharged at the end of the supply transport device. The faulty products are there detected by respective sensors. If it is detected that a faulty product exists, then the ejector is not actuated and does not push this sausage portion onto the removal transport device. In order to prevent a gap from arising on the removal transport device, the speed of the removal transport device can be adjusted accordingly by the controller 90, this means for example, the speed can be reduced for a moment or the removal transport device can be stopped for a moment so that the number of discharged products can be balanced and again be completed.
It is particularly advantageous if the direction of curvature of the sausages is detected and the sausages having a certain same direction of curvature are ejected on a respective removal transport device, this means that sausage portions having an opposite direction of curvature are ejected onto a further removal transport device or are removed via the supply transport device.
The holding device, in particular the transport roller or the conveyor belt, advantageously comprises a surface profile. This ensures that the sausages transferred by the supply transport device can be well gripped by the removal transport device.
Advantageously, at least parts of the ejector are movable in or opposite to the direction of transport of the supply transport device. The push-off position can thereby be correctly adjusted, for example, with changing distances and sausage portion lengths, such that the center of a sausage portion can also come to rest at the center of the ejection area of the ejector. Either the entire ejector can there be movable in or opposite to the direction of transport, or at least a portion comprising the ejection area.
The device advantageously comprises a sensor that detects the position of the sausage portion and preferably the sausage portion length at a point in time, and the controller 90 determines the ejection time of one of the at least one ejectors in dependence of the respective signals. The sensor is in the direction of transport preferably located upstream of the at least one ejector. It is thereby always ensured that the ejector is actuated at a correct point in time and that the ejected sausage portion is in a correct position.
In addition, the push-off position can in the direction of transport T1 be varied such that the position of the sausage portion on the removal transport device can be adjusted. This means that the sausage portions can be positioned on the removal transport device either further ahead or further behind in the direction of transport T1. This sensor detecting the position of the sausage portion can at the same time also be the sensor determining whether the respective sausage portion is discharged—for example, detect the curvature of the sausage portion and/or sausage ruptures etc.